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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mug — a cup
  3. season — of the year
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mug — to rob
  11. season — in sport
  12. fall — to drop
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. mug — a face
  22. fall — the season
  23. vault — a safe
  24. mark — a grade

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com